Set A: The author argues that students in many schools today excel by memorizing content, replicating low-level procedures, writing formulaically, and following instructions — a winning formula to make the Honor Roll, but a focus that diminishes life prospects in a...
What School Could Be
What School Could Be: Insights and Inspiration from Teachers Across America
Welcome to the book study for What School Could Be: Insights and Inspiration from Teachers Across America by Ted Dintersmith. In this book study, we will be inspired to transform our schools into what they COULD be!
An inspiring account of ordinary teachers who are doing extraordinary things that could transform education What School Could Be offers an inspiring vision of what our teachers and students can accomplish if trusted with the challenge of developing the skills and ways of thinking needed to thrive in a world of dizzying technological change. Innovation expert Ted Dintersmith took an unprecedented trip across America, visiting all fifty states in a single school year. He originally set out to raise awareness about the urgent need to reimagine education to prepare students for a world marked by innovation–but America’s teachers one-upped him. All across the country, he met teachers in ordinary settings doing extraordinary things, creating innovative classrooms where children learn deeply and joyously as they gain purpose, agency, essential skillsets and mindsets, and real knowledge. Together, these new ways of teaching and learning offer a vision of what school could be―and a model for transforming schools throughout the United States and beyond. Better yet, teachers and parents don’t have to wait for the revolution to come from above. They can readily implement small changes that can make a big difference. America’s clock is ticking. Our archaic model of education trains our kids for a world that no longer exists, and accelerating advances in technology are eliminating millions of jobs. But the trailblazing of many American educators gives us reasons for hope. Capturing bold ideas from teachers and classrooms across America, What School Could Beprovides a realistic and profoundly optimistic roadmap for creating cultures of innovation and real learning in all our schools.
Book Study Parts
You will receive 6 hours of Professional Learning credit for taking part in this study and completing all online discussions. There are ten chapters in What School Could Be with a corresponding reflection set for pairs of chapters, and a final reflection (6 total). Each pair of chapters has 2 sets of discussion questions. After reading the two chapters, please choose one set of questions to answer. Please indicate if you are answering Set A or Set B. Feel free to answer both, if so inclined. But you only need to choose one. If you don’t love either set, develop your own! You can find the blog post with discussion sets below. If you have questions, you can use the help button.
Help!
What School Could Be – Chapters Three & Four
Set A: What would happen if the main goal of a course was to get students excited about the topic? This coming school year, would you be willing to ask students at the beginning and end of each course, “How interested are you in this subject?” How would you propose...
What School Could Be – Chapters Five & Six
Set A: If parents are too involved, how can we help them realize that a micro-managed child isn’t prepared to thrive as an adult? How can we, as teachers, better prepare students to thrive as adults? How can we help parents understand that we are acting in their...
What School Could Be – Chapters Seven & Eight
Set A: The author argues that NCLB and standardized policies have pushed our schools to focus on ranking human potential, not developing it. What should the balance be? What is the balance at your school? How can you better help your students to develop their...
What School Could Be Chapters Nine & Ten
Set A: If you were trusted to design an accountability framework for your district, what would it look like? How could you ensure outsiders that your accountability approach is authentic? Set B: Could your school organize its own “Billy Madison Project”? Would you be...
What School Could Be Final Thoughts
Overall, what are your thoughts on this book and what it has to say? What actions will you take as a result? What will you do differently in class? What do you hope RCISD does going forward?
